Torpedo-boat



W. B. SHEARER.

TORPEDO BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29, 1919.

INVVENTUR W/L L mm B SHE/mm I A TTUHNEY W. B. SHEARER.

TORPEDO BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29, I9I9.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIVVEIV/TOR WILL/HM SHEfl/FER W ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. SHEABER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL TORPEDO BOAT CORPORATION, 035 W ILIIEINGTONQ DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

'ronrnno-teonr.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed January 29, 1919. Serial No. 273,851.

To all w 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. Srrnannn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Torpedo-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

In a previous application No. 206,407 I have described a torpedo boat the forepart of which is a torpedo. receiving space adapted to be flooded with water through which the torpedo is launched or'propelled under its own power and the rear part of which is a closed space, separated by a bulkhead from the forepart, just suiiicient to carry the o1: erating mechanism and the operator and to maintain the proper balance and flotation level. My present invention aims to provide an improvement whereby such a boat can be loaded with a torpedo in a tube of the ordinary sort and from which it can be launched by the usual mechanism.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a plan, partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a modification;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the same, opened to receive a torpedo.

Referring to the drawings, the boat comprises a rear closed space A or cook pit in which the operator stands and which carries an engine B and the usual mechanism for driving and directing the boat, all of which are of the usual or any suitable type and need not be illustrated in detail. The forward part C of the boat is of just suiticient length to accommodate a torpedo in its tube with the usual accessories. Its hull comprises bottom plates D (Fig. 3) and side plates E and a deck F (Figs. 1, 2 and which is adapted to be moved or lifted sufiiciently for the introduction of the torpedo. The deck of the cock pit may be of any suitable design, projecting slightly above the forward deck so that when the boat is running approximately awash or slightly submerged the operator can see to direct his course. The bow Gr is formed as a removable section in front of the torpedo, with a hinge H at its upper end and connected by a link 3 with a rod 1?: which runs above the deck at the side of the removable part F and at its rear end is threaded through a nut L operated by a hand wheel in the cock pit so that the operator can pull the rod and lift the removable bow out of the path of the torpedo as shown in dotted lines. The bulkhead M between the cockpit and the forward part of the boat is extended upward above the deck and provided with a window N through which the operator can look forward, and the rod K extends through this upward ex tension of the bulkhead.

Strapped or otherwise fixed on the underside of the hinged deck F is a torpedo tube 0 of any usual or suitable type. The deck and tube are adaptedto be swung up together to the position of Fig. 1 so that the end of thetube will be above the adjacent end of the 'deck P of the cock pit and at such an angle that a torpedo Q; can be introduced lengthwise into the tube as indicated in dotted lines. The tube will then be lowered and the torpedo will be in position for launching. When this is to be done the operator first raises the bow section G out of the way and then by compressed air or by an explosion in the rear of the torpedo drives it out of the tube and out of the boat and starts its engine. Or he may merely release the torpedo from the usual holding devices within the tube and start its engine, leaving it to propel itself out of the tube. A variety of devices is known for launching torpedoes and as these form specifically no part of my invention they are not illustrated, nor are the controlling devices which of course will be in the operators compartment or cook pit.

Any suitable mechanism may be used for raising the deck and rendering the tube aocessible for loading. This may in fact be done by tackle overhead similar to that which is used for lowering and introducing the torpedo. Preferably, however, mechanism for lifting the deck and tube will be provided within the boat, as an example I have shown a toggle mechanism comprising a link R connected at its upper end to a strap on the tube and at its lower to a block S which slides insuitable guides in the bottom of the boat and which is actuated by means of a rod T passipf through a stufing; box in the bulkhead and into the operators compartment whereit is connected to a rack U driven by a pinion V which in turn is driven from the boats en-:

gine and which may be reversed or held stationary at the will of the operator.

Pushing the rod T forward lowers the loaded tube and deck, and pulling it rearward lifts them to positionfor loading.

The hull of the boatis preferably provided with fiotation'chambers V (Fig. 3)

. for maintaining it at the desired level, their capacity being such that the boat'will run with its deck practically awash when loaded with a torpedo, and will sink a little lower when'thebow is opened and water admitted.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the torpedo tube is not fastened to the re movable deck. Instead, this deck F is hinged along one ofrits sides and the tube is mounted in the boat comprising a lower section Q equal to or slightly less than half the circumference and sections Q hinged along the sides to the section Q so that they may be spread in the manner shown in Fig. 4 to permit the torpedo to be lowered in a a horizontal position into place, after which my invention yet it is not to be understood therefrom that the invention is restricted to the particular embodiments illustrated. Various modificationsmay be made in detail and in the arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is- 1. A torpedo boat having a closed space for carrying its operating mechanism and a torpedo receiving space, a torpedo tube carried in said torpedo-receiving space and a movable deck for said torpedo-receiving space, said tube being directly accessible by the opening of said deck.

2. A torpedo boat having at the rear a. closed space for carrying its operating mechanism, the remaining forward space being just sufiicient in length to accommodate a torpedo and a torpedo tube carried in said forward space.

3.- A torpedo boat having at the rear a closed space for carrying its operating mechanism, the remaining forward space" being just sufiicient in length to accommodate a torpedo and a torpedo tube carried in said forward space, and a movable deck for said forward space, said tube being directly accessible by the opening of said deck. 7

Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM B. SHEARER. 

